The present invention relates to improvements in methods of and in apparatus for manipulating discrete cigarette packs or like commodities, and more particularly to improvements in methods of and in apparatus for converting such commodities into arrays prior to draping of the arrays into blanks of cardboard or the like. Typical examples of arrays which can be assembled and wrapped in accordance with the method and in the apparatus of the present invention are groups of cigarette packs which are to be treated in a carton making or a like wrapping machine (also known as cartoner). Reference may be had to U.S. Pat. No. 4,717,010 granted Jan. 5, 1988 to Deal et al. for "Cigarette pack accumulator assembly".
It is customary to transport discrete packets which contain cigarettes or other tobacco products between pairs of conveyor belts which engage the respective sides of discrete packets and advance them toward and into the cartoner. The packets are caused to pile up at the cartoner, and groups containing selected numbers of piled-up packets are introduced into the wrapping station where the groups are surrounded by and confined in prefabricated blanks to form therewith cartons containing eight, ten, twelve or more packets, depending on the country and on the preference of the manufacturer. It is also known to transport packets in such a way that the packets form stacks each of which contains two superimposed packets.